Building with Small Daily Efforts | Art of Japan Founder Dainosuke | ISSUE #37

Dainosuke started photography 10 years ago by taking pictures of his daughters with an iPhone.
'I started taking photos of my daughter with my phone and posting them on Instagram. It was just a hobby at first, but the early reactions on Instagram were fun,' he recalls.

As Dainosuke became more engrossed in photography, he began considering purchasing a camera.

'I thought a camera might take better photos than a phone, so I bought one,' says Dainosuke. Reflecting on that time, he admits he started with little knowledge and on impulse. It was a time when there wasn't as much information available as there is now.

'I learned by looking at other creators' photos and asking how they achieved such great shots,' he says, explaining how he became more immersed in photography by utilizing the platform.

About 6 to 7 years ago, Dainosuke launched 'Art of Japan'. Today, 'Art of Japan' is one of the top Hub accounts in Japan with over 267,000 followers. 'I created a new account to take over after a group account disbanded,' he explains.

Since opening the account, he has continued the task of selecting particularly impressive photos from the vast number of daily submissions to feature.

'In the early days, I featured two photos a day. Just two, but some days it took hours to choose, comment, and post them. It was very enjoyable, and the reactions from followers were encouraging,' he recalls.

'Art of Japan' now has many followers, but the journey to this point was based on the simple principles of continuing to carefully feature photos daily and maintaining this over a long period.

There was a time when activities were temporarily halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

'With COVID-19 making it difficult to travel and shoot, the number of posts decreased, and there were fewer photos to feature, so there was a period when the account's activities were stopped,' he recalls.

After a hiatus of about six months, he resumed activities with the support of followers. 'Even during the hiatus, I received many messages from followers, and after resuming, they supported me even more than before.'

Recent changes to Instagram's algorithm also posed a significant challenge for Dainosuke.

'The algorithm changed, and the way posts were viewed changed significantly. The number of likes decreased, but by continuing to interact with followers, I gradually regained the original pace.'

He expresses a desire to share more real-life photo experiences in the future. He is planning photo contests and special seasonal content. 'I would like to try more real events, like exhibitions,' says Dainosuke.

The essence of 'Art of Japan' is capturing not just landscape photos but also moments of people's daily lives.

'I try to select photos that convey people's lives. Perhaps the criteria for featuring are more relaxed than other HUB accounts,' says Dainosuke. He sometimes features photos taken with a phone if he likes them.

One day, there was such an event.

'When I featured a photo taken by a housewife of her child playing in the park, she sent me a message saying, 'I'm glad you cherish a moment of everyday life.' It was a small reaction, but it was a very rewarding moment,' he says. Such interactions and responses from followers motivate Dainosuke.

'By selecting photos that convey the breath of people living in those places, not just the shooting locations, I think it makes the account more relatable to followers. Just as I started taking photos with an iPhone, I hope people will post with the Art of Japan tag without feeling pressured,' he says.

The name 'Art of Japan' might give the impression of being far removed from everyday life, but that's a misconception. 'Art of Japan' is an account that stays close to everyday life, cherishing small motivations. It aims to allow everyone to comfortably enjoy the art of everyday landscapes. We look forward to continuing to follow the activities of 'Art of Japan' and Dainosuke.